A Street Vibrations partcipant heads north on Virginia Street on his way out of town on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2005 as the event winds down on its final day. Photo by David B. Parker. / David B. Parker

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Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

STREET VIBRATIONS AT A GLANCE

When: Through Sunday Where: In front of the Virginia Street casinos in downtown Reno, the Victorian Square area in downtown Sparks, assorted Virginia City locations and Chester’s Reno Harley-DavidsonDetailed schedule and more information: road-shows.com/street_vibrations.phpCost: Free unless you want to buy a VIP registration. Registration costs $60 and includes a parking pass, T-shirt, ride pin and entry into invitation-only bike games, concerts and parties. Learn more online at road-shows.com/street_vibrations.php or call 329-7469.

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What happens when you mix throaty motorcycles with brawny, tattooed men and kids in strollers? According to Randy Burke, you get Street Vibrations.

“With all due respect, we call it a baby-carriage event,” said Burke, whose Road Shows production company runs the twice-annual celebration of motorcycle culture. “It’s one of those things. When the bikes go out in the street and the vendors go out in the street, you look around and there are families with little baby carriages. … The public is more than invited, and there’s something for literally everybody, from the kids to mom and dad, grandma and grandpa.”

Street Vibrations may have attractions for all age groups, but there’s no denying that it will always be most popular with one crowd: Motorcycle lovers. That is, after all, what the five-day festival is all about.

Attendees can participate in everything from poker runs to pancake breakfasts, and anyone who has been in town during Street Vibrations knows that, for the next four days, bikers will be everywhere. Most Street Vibrations events are centered around four locations: Chester’s Reno Harley-Davidson, the Victorian Square area in Sparks, Virginia Street in downtown Reno, and the main drags in Virginia City.

One of the big stories this year, is that the event has returned to Virginia Street. Downtown Reno was a major venue for years, but Burke said he chose to move many activities to Sparks in 2010 for financial reasons. This year, he said, he and the city and downtown casinos were able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement, so he’s glad to be back.

Part of the deal, Burke said, includes a major change in the way beer can be sold. In the past, Street Vibrations beer sales were limited to small beer gardens in downtown Reno. This year, Burke said, there will be a different feel.

“For the first time ever, the city has an arrangement with us and the casinos to have open beer sales in five different locations. Each casino can come out and sell food and beverage within their block. … Now, it’s back to being a true festival feel.”

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And it’s a festival that can draw a lot of people.

“If the weather’s good, we can look at 50,000-plus people,” Burke said. “If it’s less than great weather, it could drop down as low as 35,000.”

Burke said the research he’s done shows that about 90 percent of attendees come to the area from out of town. Since the forecast is for sunny skies through Sunday, he’s expecting a great turnout.

“We have about 30-some thousand rooms in (our) geographic area and we expect them all to be sold out,” Burke said. “It’s also a holiday rate, so it’s a price point that the hotels and motels can’t usually expect.”

Street Vibrations is free, but bikers – both local and visiting – have the option to buy a VIP registration for $60. The registration comes with an event T-shirt and a special parking pass. It also includes VIP access to invitation-only poker runs, parties and concerts. Burke said if one were to purchase all the perks separately, it would cost more than $250.

Some of this year’s Street Vibrations highlights include …

StuntsFolks who like to watch daredevils do their thing will have plenty to applaud at Street Vibrations. The festival has several stunt performances planned during the next three days, and all are free.

At 1:30, 4 and 6:30 p.m. today and Saturday, the LivFast Motorcycle Aerial Jump Show will take to the air in the Victorian Square area of Sparks.

“Three riders will take turns jumping ramp to ramp,” Burke said, “more than 35 feet in the air and 75-feet from ramp to ramp. That’s very exciting stuff.”

Victorian Square will also be home to a ground-based stunt show at 2, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday. Burke said the ground shows feature bikers performing wheelies, donuts and other terrestrial stunts.

Finally, Street Vibrations is bringing the Globe of Death to Virginia Street in front of the major casinos. In that high-energy show, a cyclist performs tricks – including loop-the-loops – inside a giant steel ball. The Globe of Death runs at 12:30, 3:30 and 7 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday.

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MusicNumerous concerts are scheduled throughout the run of the festival, including a 7:30 p.m. Friday show by guitarist Carlos Santana (see feature on page 4), two shows by the Buddy Emmer Band and many tributes to classic rock acts.

Tattoo ExpoNothing says motorcycles like a tattoo, and with that in mind, Street Vibrations is hosting a tattoo expo daily at the Reno Ballroom.

“We bring 20 tattoo artist into the area, most of them out of Los Angeles, which is famous for the real, real exotic tattoo artists,” Burke said. “We’ve had that for about the last five years, and it just keeps getting bigger.”

Arm PullingNew this year is an arm pulling – also known as arm wrestling – competition set for 1 p.m. Saturday in the Reno Ballroom. Burke said anyone can sign up and compete. There will be a weigh-in from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, and the competition will follow.

Sound OffAlso new this year is the Kuryakyn “Bagger Sound Off” competition, held at 3 p.m. Saturday at Victorian Square in Sparks.

“That’s where the people with big road bikes that have the exotic stereo systems built into them have a bike-sound competition,” Burke said. “It’s really getting to be popular.”

Custom BikesFolks who like souped up rides can check out the America’s Finest Custom Bike Builder’s Expo, running daily in the Silver Baron Room at the Silver Legacy. Burke says Street Vibrations will have 17 museum-quality motorcycles on display throughout the run of the event.